Expansion joint filler



H. c'. JUssEN EXPANSION JOINT FILLER Filed July 5, 1929 Dec. 10, 1935.

Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES EXPANSION JOINT FILLER Herbert C. Jussen, Cincinnati, Ohio, assigner to The Philip Carey vllrianufacturing Company, a

corporation of Ohio Application July 5, 1929, serial No. 375.913

9 Claims.

My invention relates to an expansion and contractionv joint filler and is particularly addressed to an elastic expansion and contraction joint ller adapted when placed between adjacent portions of highway construction to fill the space between such adjacent portions during either expansion or contraction of such portions, and to provide means adapted to insure the filling` of the joint at all times thereby preventing entrance of 10 any foreign substance.

In the drawing accompanying this specification, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of a modification and Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view showing my improved expansion and contraction joint filler installed between adjacent slabs of concrete in a highway.

In the drawing in which like letters designate, like parts, A is a body of rubber, or a composition of rubber and other materials, which is sufliciently elastic to return, after compression, substantially to its normal position when the pressure is removed. A very satisfactory material I have found to be avrubber material or composition containing innumerable minute independent air cells which create an elastic nonporous body, or a composition of rubber and brous material could be used. B is a body of asphalt or asphalt composition containing a suitable fibrous or other ller, which composition is preferably of a character that it will ow or be displaced slightly under compression and yet will not become too soft at summer temperatures or become brittle at,

Winter temperatures. Any rubber or composition of rubber and other materials that is sufficiently elastic to return to approximately its normal form or size after having been compressed, and the pressure having been removed, would be satisfactory to form the body A of my expansion joint. The layer B which may be placed on one side or both sides of the body A may be of any suitable bituminous composition or other suitable material having the characteristics above stated would be satisfactory. In the modification shown in Fig. 2 I have applied to the outside of the body A a strip of saturated felt C which may be on either or both sides of the joint. 'I'his felt may be applied either directly to the body A or may be applied to the layer of bituminous or other lcement B applied to the body A. If desired the felt could be applied directly to one side of the rubber body and on`the opposite side could be thicker layer of asphalt composition on the opposite side of the body A, it being only necessary to provide sufficient asphalt composition to perform the functions hereafter referred to. If desired the felt may be fixed or cemented to the side of the 5 vof the joint and ease of installation, and forming a comparatively rigid board like structure. Many other modifications could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. Fig. 3 illustrates a construction embodying my in- 15 vention in which DD are adjacent blocks or slabs of concrete forming a pavement or a foundation. Between these slabs is shown my expansion joint. As will be seen in Figure 3 the top of the expansion joint is sealed by any suitable material E 20 such as an asphalt. In this Figure. 3 the expansion .joint is shown after some expansion of the adjacent block D has taken place, resulting in compressing the core A, which by reason of it being of rubber or like or similar material can 25.

be compressed with practically no displacement at the top of the joint except possibly a very slight curvature, while the asphalt composition B lbeing of a character that it will ilow under pressure has been forced out at the top and carried over 30 the top of the core A and the side walls C so that it forms a continuous seal from one concrete slab D on one side of the joint filler to the concrete slab D on the opposite side of the joint ller. 'I'his seal E serves to form a protection for the 35 rubber core A so as to prevent the entrance into the core A or contact with the core A along the top edge of any foreign substance that would be detrimental or tend to cause deterioration of the core. v In some forms of my invention I seal 40 the edges, top, bottom and ends of the body A in any suitable manner by using any satisfactory sealing material. If desired the body A could be sealed by a rubber seal forming a illm or skin of any desired thickness. Y 45 While I prefer to seal the joint especially the top before it is installed it can, if' desired, be sealed after the joint has been installed, by the application to the top edge of a suitable bituminous material or other preferably waterproof ma- 50 terial, as for instance by pouring asphalt or other bituminous material, or other sealingk material along the top edge of the joint.

While I have shown my expansion and contraction joint filler in a form. generally used for highway construction, it may be made in -slabs of any desired width or length for use in bridge work or any other structural work where it is desired to provide expansion joint filler or expansion and contraction joint filler, and these slabs may be cut to any size or configuration desired. In practice if desired in the manufacture of my expansion joint it can be formed into comparatively long and wide sheets which may be cut to any desired size either for highway Work or for other work. After the cutting 'to desired size the top, bottom and end edges can be coated with an asphalt or other suitable material to seal or enclose the rubber or similar body A and thereby protect same from deterioration due to exposure to atmosphere, liquids, acids or other deteriorating materials. This sealing may be either before or after installation. As

will be seen by enclosing or encasing the rubber in a protective seal, the life of the rubber and its elasticity is greatly prolonged. If desired a body of rubber could be used which was enclosed on all sides and edges so as to seal it. This sealing when using a body A of rubber only could be either a coating of asphalt or like or similar material or a rubber coating integral with the body formed in formation of the cellular rubber into the desired size or formed by the adjacent structure when used with a. sealing coat over any exposed portions as for instance in Fig.f3.

I claim:

l. An expansion-contraction joint filler consisting of a slab-like material having a core of resilient rubber material containing innumerable independent air cells, a layer on opposite surfaces of said core composed of a weather resisting plastic material adapted to be displaced by pressure so that it may be carried over and form a shell on the edge of the core.

2. In a construction an expansion-contraction joint filler arranged between adjacent bodies of material having the characteristics of expanding or contracting under changing temperatures or moisture conditions, said joint filler composed of a body of resilient rubber material having therein innumerable independent air cells and a body of plastic material, said resilient material being capable of being compressed by the expansion of kthe adjacent construction materials and of expanding to substantially its normal size as such construction materials contract, and the plastic body of said joint filler having the characteristics of being capable of being displaced by the expansion of the adjacent construction materials and to be carried over and form a protective seal for exposed portions of the resilient body.

3. In a construction an expansion-contraction joint filler arranged between adjacent bodies of material having thecharacteristics of expanding or contracting under changing temperatures or moisture conditions, said joint ller composed of a body of resilient rubber material having therein innumerable independent air cells, a body of plastic material and a body of flexible compressible waterproof material, said resilient material being capable of being compressed by the expansion of the adjacent construction materials and of expanding to substantially its normal size aS such construction materials contract, and the plastic body of said joint ller having the characteristics of being capable of being displaced by the expansion of the adjacent construction mate-r rials and to be carried over and form a protective seal for exposed portions of the resilient body.

4. In a construction an expansion-contraction joint ller arranged between adjacent bodies of material having the characteristics of expanding or contracting under changing temperatures or 10 moisture conditions, said joint filler composed of a body of resilient rubber material having therein innumerable independent air cells and a body of plastic material, said resilient material being capable of being compressed by the expansion of 15 the `adjacent construction materials and of expanding to substantially its normal form as such construction materials contract, and the plastic body of said joint filler having the characteristics of being capable of being displaced by the expan- 20 sion of the adjacent construction materials.

5. An expansion joint consisting of a slab-like material having an elastic rubber body containing innumerable air cells preformed to desired form and size, reenforcements of waterproofed 25 sheet material arranged on opposite sides of 'said body, and means sealing an exposable edge thereof.

6. An expansion joint comprising a resilient slab like body of rubber material containing in- 30 numerable independent cells and encased at its top and side edges in a plastic protective seal.`

'7. An expansion joint comprising a resilient slab-like body of rubber and fibrous material containing innumerable independent cells and en- 35 cased at its top and side edges in a plastic asphaltic protective seal.

8. In a construction an expansion-contraction joint, ller arranged between adjacent bodies of material having the characteristics of expanding 40 or contracting under changing temperatures or moisture conditions, said joint filler composed of a body of resilient rubber material having therein innumerable independent cells and a body of plastic material, said resilient material being cai5 pable of being compressed by .the expansion of the adjacent construction materials and of expanding to substantially its normal size as such construction materials contract, and the plastic body of said joint ller forming a, protective seal 50 for exposed portions of the resilient body.

9. In a construction anexpansion-contraction joint filler arranged between adjacent bodies of material having the characteristics of expanding or contracting under changing temperatures or 55 moisture conditions, said joint filler composed of a body of resilient rubber and brous material having therein innumerable independent cells,

a body of plastic material and a body of iiexible compressible waterproof material, said resilient 60 material being capable of being compressed by the expansion of the adjacentconstruction materials and of expanding to substantially its normal size as such construction materials contract, and the plastic body of said joint filler forming 65 a protective seal for exposed portions of the resilient body.

, HERBERT C. JUSSEN. 

